It won't be the same without Bolt

LONDON, England:

Head coach to the national team in London Maurice Wilson believes Usain Bolt's absence will be felt on the track, but will also be felt quite strongly in the national set-up.

For 16 years Wilson had been working with sprint king Usain Bolt on national duty and said it is hard to imagine a national team without the eight time Olympic and 11-time World Championships gold medal winner.

"Whenever we are on a national trip and Usain is not there - and that would not be often, so like a World Relays or something like that, there is a different kind of feeling," Wilson said.

"It's hard to imagine being on a team without Bolt. He is just a different kind of human being. I have never seen anyone like Bolt - the ability to inspire, the ability to make even the coaching staff feel relaxed, the assurance that he provides," he added.

Rest is history

In 2001 at the World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, Bolt failed to make the final in the 200m after a fifth place finish in the semi-finals. A year later he would become World Junior champion in the event in front of his home crowd - and the rest is history.

"When you are on the track with Bolt, if you are coaching the 4x100m, if you are not careful, you'll feel like you have already won the gold medal and that's the sort of person and athlete that he is. He is down to Earth with everyone," Wilson added.

"People come and go but I think this is going to be a huge loss not only to Jamaica but to the world."

"When Usain said 'To di Wurl', I don't think he understood what that would eventually mean. He has transformed the image of the sport. This young man has made footprints that I have not seen from any other global star - because I was not around in the Pele era. He has done us proud and there is nothing too great that we can give back to him," said Wilson.

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